Saradise Lost - Book 5 - Chapter 41: Queen Esther Visits Jerusalem on Purim - Her Devotees Rejoice

Sarah Palin flew from New Delhi to Tel Aviv late Saturday, and arrived in Jerusalem early Sunday, for the first day of Purim 2011. Wearing a gaudy Star-of-David necklace, she was given a tour of "the Western Wall and its adjacent tunnels. [She] will visit the Old City again on Monday, tour Gesthsemane and the Mount of Olives, and have dinner with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at their official residence in Jerusalem."

World Likud chairman Danny Danon and Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz served as Palin’s tour guides on Sunday night. Palin was told that Jews were not allowed to pray openly on the Temple Mount and about the Arab riots that accompanied Netanyahu’s decision to authorize the creation of an exit from the Western Wall tunnels in 1996.

Rabinowitz said that Palin prayed at the point closest to the Holy of Holiesand left a note with a personal prayer. Unlike when then-presidential candidate Barack Obama visited the Western Wall in July 2008, no one removed her note from the wall and gave it to the press.

“She said that she absolutely supports Israel and that America is the biggest friend that Israel has,” Rabinowitz said.

When Rabinowitz shared the story of Purim with Palin, she told him it was especially meaningful to be at the Kotel on Purim.

Palin's closest devotees know about Purim. Some of them actually believe Palin is a present-day reincarnation of the Biblical Queen Esther:


At Palin's number one shrine, Conservatives4Palin, commenters were ecstatic about Palin's visit to the Holy Land:

God bless Sarah! She's doing the right things without the title or trappings of leadership, when those who have the title and trappings continue to do the wrong things! She is already my President!

and:

As I said before our beloved blessed Israel will have a strong and dedicated friend in the White House soon!!! :D
Sarah Palin 2012!!!
America's return to exceptionalism!!!

and:

At least the Palestinians are up front and open in their desire to destroy Israel unlike Obama and the Left who seek to destroy the GOP, the conservative movement and evangelical Christianity in America but are, using one of Obama's words, subterranean about it.

and:

Governor Palin looks incredibly beautiful in these photos. She is a beautiful person inside and out.

and:

Watched the video. Look at all the media taking pictures of her and Todd as they head to the van! And some people have the gall to say her star is fading? The papparazzi and photographers swarmed her like she was Princess Diana, for crying out loud!! "Fading", my foot! Mitt, Huck, Newt, T-Paw, MB, Mitch, and the rest of the gang could only beg to be treated as if they were this important.

and - from a CAP lover:

I aamm in a tizzy, goose bump.YES, YES and YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! May the LORD SHINE HIS BLESSINGS TO THE CHOSEN PEOPLE AND PEACE WILL REIGN SUPREME IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.

and, finally:

Wearing a Star of David necklace??...You mean she's actually choosing sides and making a stand?! She's standing by a staunch ally and letting them know that their not alone?! This is over the top!

Never remember either Bush making a statement to Israel like this. If Israel's one of America's closest allies, you know Barry has a soft spot for their enemies...who does Sarah think she is anyway?! She's making me believe in that dated stuff called "Honor" and "Courage" again!

A trip to Israel by Palin was announced in December, but little detail was given before she actually showed up there. One question being asked is - Who's paying for it? A two-day stopover on returning from India probably isn't as expensive as it might have been under different circumstances. Her 2010 drive-by photo op to Haiti was paid for by Franklin Graham. He was busy this weekend predicting the end of the world, so this trip was probably paid for by SarahPAC. Other than meeting Likud Chairman Danon and PM Netanyahu, her visit appears to be mostly another, longer drive-by. She can't help but make an inane comment or two, though:

Palin, who was wearing a large Star of David, told Danon that she had flags of Israel “on my desk, in my home, all over the place” and that she would carry around a flag she bought in Israel.

I'll bet she didn't use that line in Haiti. Or India, eh?